City Council will consider allowing Verizon to add repeater cells

PEKIN — Verizon Wireless is looking for a way to boost its reception in Pekin and is seeking a deal to place repeater cells atop city light poles.

The City Council will consider the request Monday at its regular monthly meeting.

The company, City Manager Joe Wuellner said, will conduct a study after the council grants its approval to determine what areas of the city need the small cell boosters. Wuellner said the company will likely install several in areas of weak reception. The light poles are about 30 feet tall.

Assistant City Manager Darin Girdler said the company has equipment that detects dead or weak zones when employees drive through town.

The city will be paid $250 a month for each unit for the next 25 years. The city has similar agreements for other large cell towers, such as the one at the Eastside Fire Station on Court Street. The city is paid $800 a month for each site. One company may lease space on another company’s tower. The city gets an additional $500 a month for every company that locates on a tower on city property, said Girdler.

Verizon also is looking at possibly installing new towers in town, said Wuellner. Girdler will do a tour of the city with Verizon officials Feb. 10 to scout locations.

The cellphone companies are in a race, which means extra money in city revenues, said Girdler.

“That’s the one thing carriers are trying to get right now — the best coverage they can,” said Girdler.

The repeater cells on light posts will not cause any interference with fire and police communications or other communications in the city, said Girdler. The 911 Center in Pekin shares its communications pole with various cellphone companies, and it causes no interference with any other electronic reception, said Girdler.

Towers are not typically located in residential areas. One exception is the tower at the Eastside Fire Station. Wuellner said the city has seldom had any complaints about the location of cell towers.

All cell company agreements with the city have a stipulation that the company will remove the tower if and/or when it becomes obsolete.